Negating NA Answer choice's?

Krithin S.

Hi,

I was wondering if there were rules for negating NA answer choices? Because in one example (PT 32, S4. Q19), answer choice B (Every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more), JY negated the answer choice by making it 1%. But I negated the answer choice as "Every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine does not reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more", I was just confused if there was a rule or mechanical method that we are supposed to follow, since my negation makes the answer choice much more favorable as an answer.

Thx

Krithin S.

I completely understand why E is right for this question. I only have a doubt that my negation for answer choice B still make a big assumption since "not reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more" leaves room for at least some percent of medical costs being reduced (0-9%). Which would still make E the best choice.

canihazJD

I didn't look at the question, but going off your post, "Every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more."

We would just go: it is not the case that every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more.

1% is a just specific example. Specifying a range of 0-9% isn't all inclusive (but it does work), as a negation of that statement could also mean a reduction of anything up to 9.9999999... % or even that it increases cost.

Jordan Johnson

[Daniel covered it more succinctly above]

oboliverbrown

Like canihaz said, "Every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine reduces medical costs by 10 percent or more"

Every hour devoted to the teaching of preventive medicine DOES NOT NECESSARILY (although "does not" works here) REDUCE medical costs by 10 percent or more".
Meaning - anything less than 10%. JY uses 1% to put a face on this abstraction.